ANT. I learn, you take things ill, which are not

fo;

Or, being, concern you not.

CES.

I must be laugh'd at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should say myself offended; and with you

Chiefly i' the world: more laugh'd at, that I should Once name you derogately, when to found your

name

It not concern'd me.

ANT.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæfar,

CES. No more than my refiding here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there

which feemed to indicate a confcioufnefs of fuperiority in his too fuccefsful partner in power; and accordingly refents the invitation of Cæfar to be feated: Cæfar anfwers, Nay then-i. e. if you are fo ready to refent what I meant as an act of civility, there can be no reafon to fuppofe you have temper enough for the business on which at prefent we are met. The former editors leave a full point at the end of this as well as the preceding speech. STEEVENS.

The following circumftance may ferve to ftrengthen Mr. Steevens's opinion: When the fictitious Sebaftian made his appearance in Europe, he came to a conference with the Conde de Lemos; to whom, after the firft exchange of civilities, he faid, Conde de Lemos, he covered. And being asked by that nobleman, by what pretences he laid claim to the fuperiority expreffed by fuch permiffion, he replied, I do it by right of my birth; I am Sebastian. JOHNSON.

I believe, the author meant no more than that Cæfar should defire Antony to be feated: "Sit." To this Antony replies, Be you, fir, feated first: "Sit, fir." "Nay, then" rejoins Cæfar, if you ftand on ceremony, to put an end to farther talk on a matter of fo little moment, I will take my feat. However, I have too much refpect for the two preceding editors, to fet my judgment above their concurring opinions, and therefore have left the note of admiration placed by Mr. Steevens at the end of Antony's fpeech, undisturbed. MALONE.

Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question."

ANT.

How intend you, practis'd?

Your wife, and bro

CAS. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal me.

ther,

Made wars upon me; and their conteftation
Was theme for you, you were the word of war."

8 Did practife on my ftate,] To practise means to employ unwarrantable arts or ftratagems. So, in The Tragedie of Antonie, done into English by the countefs of Pembroke, 1595:

66

nothing kills me fo

"As that I do my Cleopatra fee
"Practife with Cæfar."

See Vol. IV. p. 361, n. 5. STEEVENS.

9queftion.] i. e. My theme or fubject of converfation. So again in this fcene:

"Out of our question wipe him.".

See Vol. VII. p. 107, n. 4. MALONE.

Was theme for you, you were the word of war.] The only meaning of this can be, that the war, which Antony's wife and brother made upon Cæfar, was theme for Antony too to make war; or was the occafion why he did make war. But this is directly contrary to the context, which shows, Antony did neither encourage them to it, nor fecond them in it. We cannot doubt then, but the poet wrote:

- and their conteftation

Was them'd for you,

i. e. The pretence of the war was on your account, they took up arms in your name, and you were made the theme and subject of their infurrection. WARBURTON.

I am neither fatisfied with the reading nor the emendation; them'd is, I think, a word unauthorised, and very harsh. Perhaps we may read:

their conteftation

Had theme from you, you were the word of war.

The difpute derived its fubject from you. It may be corrected by mere tranfpofition:

their conteftation

You were theme for, you were the ward JOHNSON.
VOL. XII.

H h

ANT. You do mistake your business; my brother

never

Was theme for you, I believe means only, was proposed as an example for you to follow on a yet mare extenfive plan; as themes are given for a writer to dilate upon. Shakspeare, however, may prove the belt commentator on himfelf. Thus, in Coriolanus, A& I. fc. i:

& -- throw forth greater themes "For infurrection's arguing." Sicinius calls Coriolanus, “

the theme of our affembly."

"As happy prologues to the fwelling act
"Of the imperial theme."

And in Cymbeline:

66

When a foldier was the theme, my name **Was not far off." HENLEY.

STEEVENS.

Mr. Steevens's interpretation is certainly a juft one, as the words now ftand; but the fenfe of the words thus interpreted, being directly repugnant to the remaining words, which are evidently put in appofition with what has preceded, fhows that there must be fome corruption. If their conteftation was a theme for Antony to dilate upon, an example for him to follow, what congruity is there between these words and the conclufion of the paffage-" you were the word of war: i. e. your name was employed by them to draw troops to their ftandard? On the other hand," their conteftation derived its theme or fubject from you; you were their word of war," affords a clear and consistent fenfe. Dr. Warburton's emendation, however, does not go far enough. To obtain the fenfe defired, we should read

Was them'd from you,—

So, in Troilus and Creffida:

"She is a theme of honour and renown,

"A fpur to valiant and magnanimous deeds."

Again, in Hamlet:

So like the king,

"That was and is the queftion of thefe wars."

In almost every one of Shakspeare's plays, fubftantives are used as verbs. That he must have written from, appears by Antony's answer:

"You do miftake your business; my brother never
"Did urge me in his aft.”

i. c. never made me the theme for " infurrection's arguing."

MALONE

Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it;
And have my learning from fome true reports,*
That drew their fwords with you. Did he not ra-

ther

Difcredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach, Having alike your caufe? Of this, my letters Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,

I fhould fuppofe that fome of the words in this fentence have been misplaced, and that it ought to ftand thus:

Did

and for conteftation

Their theme was you; you were the word of war.

my brother never

M. MASON.

urge me in his act :] i. e. Never did make use of my name as a pretence for the war. WARBURTON.

4

true reports,] Reports for reporters. Mr. Tollet obferves that Holinfhed, 1181, ufes records for vouchers; and in King Richard II. our author has wrongs for wrongers:

"To roufe his wrongs and chase them to the bay."

See Vol. VIII. p. 263. STEEVENS.

Having alike your caufe?] The meaning feems to be, having the fame caufe as you to be offended with me. But why, because he was offended with Antony, fhould he make war upon Cæfar? May it not be read thus:

Did he not rather

Difcredit my authority with yours,

And make the wars alike against my ftomach,
Hating alike our caufe? JOHNSON.

The old reading is immediately explained by Antony's being the partner with Ŏctavius in the cause against which his brother fought. STEEVENS.

Having alike your canfe?] That is, I having alike your cause. The meaning is the fame as if, inftead of "againft my ftomach," our author had written-againft the ftomach of me. Did he not (fays Antony,) make wars against the inclination of me also, of me, who was engaged in the fame caufe with yourself? Dr. Johnfon fuppofed that having meant, be having, and hence has fuggefted an unneceffary emendation. MALONE.

As matter whole you have not to make it with,"
It must not be with this.

CES.

You praise yourself
By laying defects of judgement to me; but
You patch'd up your excuses.

ANT.
Not fo, not fo:
I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very neceffity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which 'fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in fuch another:*

As matter whole you have not to make it with,] The original copy reads:

As matter whole you have to make it with.

Without doubt erroneously; I therefore only obferve it, that the reader may more readily admit the liberties which the editors of this author's works have neceffarily taken. JOHNSON.

The old reading may be right. It seems to allude to Antony's acknowledged neglect in aiding Cæfar; but yet Antony does not allow himself to be faulty upon the prefent cause alledged against him. STEEVENS.

"As

I have not the smallest doubt that the correction, which was made by Mr. Rowe, is right. The ftructure of the sentence, matter," &c. proves decifively that not was omitted. Of all the errors that happen at the prefs, omiffion is the most frequent.

8

MALONE.

with graceful eyes -] Thus the old copy reads, and

I believe, rightly. We ftill fay, I could not look handfomely on fuch or fuch a proceeding. The modern editors read-grateful. STEEVENS.

9-fronted—i. c. Oppofed. JOHNSON. So, in Cymbeline:

"Your preparation can affront no less

"Than what you hear of." STEEVENS.

2 I would you had her fpirit in fuch another:] Antony means to fay, I wish you had the spirit of Fulvia, embodied in fuch another woman as her; I wish you were married to fuch another spirited woman; and then you would find, that though you can govern the third part of the world, the management of fuch a woman is not an easy matter.